Smart Enterprise and PLDT SME Nation unveil first ever Bozz Awards to recognize new generation of digitally savvy entrepreneurs

Tweet

Smart Enterprise, under PLDT SME Nation, has unveiled its latest initiative to empower the new breed of Filipino entrepreneurs.

The Bozz Awards is a social media crowdsourcing search for the new generation of entrepreneurs who are harnessing digital tools to grow their businesses. These entrepreneurs are known for spearheading a revolutionary change in business platforms through their use of technology.

In partnership with Rappler, a pioneer in embracing online platforms for news generation and distribution, the Bozz Awardshopes to inspire more entrepreneurs with success stories of those who have boldly embraced the challenges and opportunities of the digital era.

Rappler will house the main site for the Bozz Awards, and will facilitate the crowd sourcing aspect of the campaign which will carry the online handle #BeTheBoss.

PLDT First Vice President and Head of SME Business Kat Luna-Abelarde

“For years now, PLDT SME Nation has been known for our MVP Bossing Awards which celebrate Filipino business titans whose stories of success embody perseverance and continuous innovation. They are the industry icons start-up entrepreneurs look up to,” PLDT First Vice President and Head of SME Business Kat Luna-Abelarde explained. “The Bozz Awards is all about the new breed of entrepreneurs, who are just as persevering and innovative, albeit faced with a different set of challenges and opportunities in this digital age of doing business.”

The Bozz Awards is part of the line-up of activities for PLDT SME Nation’s recently launched Small Business Monthcelebration which is a pioneering initiative aimed at empowering small businesses to embrace the digital revolution.

Rules of digital engagement

To qualify for the Bozz Awards, entrepreneurs must be 45 years old and below, based in the Philippines, and must be business owners for at least two years. 

Nominations, which will officially open on August 10, must be done online via the microsite on Rappler. Those who want to nominate their own bozz can also ‘Tweet-pitch’ a 140-character nomination using the hash tag #BeTheBoss. More details will also be announced on August 10 via the official Bozz Awards site.

A shortlist of 15 nominees will be chosen by a panel of judges with three each under five categories:

—The Boss for Mobile Readiness

—The Boss For E-commerce,

—The Boss for Social Media,

—The Boss for Customer Service,

—The Boss for Social Responsibility and Entrepreneurship

The public will then have a chance to cast their votes and these votes, together with the results of the panel deliberation, will determine the final five Bozz Awardees (one from each category). The finalists will be honored in a grand celebration and post-awards culmination party to mark the end of the first ever run of the Bozz Awards.

The first batch of Bozz awardees will each receive a full-powered Smart Enterprise Biz Kit which consists of business-enhancing tools and gadgets, including year-long data subscription, to help keep them always connected to their customers and updated with their operations, even while on the go.

As a fitting tribute to game-changing entrepreneurs who are leading the digital revolution in business, the final five Bozzawardees will also be given a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see the world’s melting pot of technology via an exclusive Silicon Valley tour.

Abelarde added, “We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again—there’s nowhere to go but digital. We’ve seen a lot of budding and progressive entrepreneurs who’ve managed to revolutionize the traditional ways of doing business through online presence or ground-breaking use of digital tools and platforms. This new breed of movers and shakers paved the way, and we want to recognize and empower them so they can inspire more entrepreneurs.”

For more information on how to #BeTheBoss, visit rappler.com/betheboss.

Acoustic balladeer TJ MONTERDE launches new single “Tulad Mo”

Tweet

PolyEast Records acoustic singer/songwriter TJ Monterde is set to launch the new single and music video of “Tulad Mo” on Saturday, August 15 on PolyEast Records YouTube Channel (https://www.youtube.com/polyeastrecords).

It’s been two years since his last studio album and TJ is back dropping the digital release of the new single “Tulad Mo”. With his latest effort, the YouTube singer-songwriter traded in the acoustic ballads from his debut album for a breezy, mid-tempo charm.

“I've always loved acoustic and I will always love acoustic music. But this time, it's quite different compared to my previous acoustic songs. I tried reinventing to do more up-beat, pop-ish kind of feel. You know, the same music you sing when you’re happy” said the 25-year old acoustic singer. 

The new song was written by our singer-songwriter himself and recorded at the Studio 1103 in Panay, Quezon City “I came up with the melody last year but the lyrics came in later when I met my inspiration. I write all my songs and I really enjoy the whole creative thing-- I've always loved doing it. But the process of writing this song makes it more special because of my girlfriend.” TJ added. 

Belting out witty lyrics and acoustic ballads on YouTube since 2011, TJ started sharing his original compositions and reached a wide audience receiving rave reviews in the worldwide web. “Ikaw at Ako” became his signature song and officially debuted as the song for YouTube’s viral film called “My Super Fan Girl”. 

PolyEast Records released his debut album “Ikaw At Ako” in 2013 which included six OPM classics and five original compositions. One of which even became a TV commercial jingle of a popular biscuit brand with the song called “Treat You Right”.

“Tulad Mo” music video will be exclusively available on PolyEast Records YouTube Channel (https://www.youtube.com/polyeastrecords) starting August 15, Saturday. The song is also available for download at Spinnr.ph, Deezer, Guvera, iTunes and Amazon. 

For more information, you may follow the official hashtag: #TJMonterdeTuladMo or follow @PolyEastRecords on Instagram and PolyEast Records on Facebook.

Spice up your pantry with finds from Eastwood Mall’s Weekend Spice Souk

Tweet

Eastwood City is encouraging foodies and homemakers to spice up their dishes with finds from Eastwood Mall’s Weekend Spice Souk, happening on Aug. 14 – 16 and 21 – 23 at the second floor of Eastwood Mall.

Mallgoers can shop for a wide variety of herbs, spices and sauces at this weekend event. At Casanova Garden, guests can pick up potted and cut herbs, like sweet basil, tarragon, lemon mint, choco mint, Vietnamese coriander, lemon balm and more while those who are into spices can purchase turmeric powder from India, chili powder, garlic powder, paprika, oregano powder and more at R2R Trading. 

For those who like it hot, chili sauces are up for grabs at Hot Mama. Guests can also experience chili in an all new way with Dielle’s Chili wines or try a variety of chilli dishes like chilli fries and nachos at Chili Pod.

Eating healthy can get even tastier as guests can dress up their salads with a variety of dips and dressings from Whisk. Mallgoers can choose from Lemon Tarragon Vinaigrette, Soy Ginger dressing, and even Strawberry and Basil Jam or Spiced Mango Jam. For organic vegetables, guests can check out Emporium Antipolo. 

Mexican food lovers can get delicious dips from Tagueria Real’s Salsa Cartel and choose from offerings like Roasted Red Salsa, Habanero Carrot Salsa and more. Those craving a Mexican snack can also visit Hijo D’ Pita for tacos, burritos and the delectable El Chuapacabra - ground chicken wrapped in bacon.

Sugar and spice is a delicious combination too and Eastwood’s Weekend Spice Souk has plenty of spiced-up desserts for guests to try. Unit 16 Sweets has flavoured chocolates like chili and sea salt. Those who want a cool treat can stop by Buccino’s Ice Cream Experiment for unusual (and unusually good!) flavor combinations like Dark Chocolate Olive Oil and Muscovado with Bacon. 

The Weekend Spice Souk kickstarts the beginning of a series of food events in Eastwood City as part of Eastwood City’s Food Artistry Campaign. Launched last July, the Food Artistry campaign hopes to encourage foodies and amateur chefs to create their own art on a plate. Mallgoers can look forward to different food fairs with exciting themes in the coming months. 

To learn more about Eastwood’s Food Artistry Campaign and events, guests can visit www.megaworldlifestylemalls.com, follow Eastwood’s Facebook page at facebook.com/eastwoodcity or call the Megaworld Lifestyle Malls Concierge at 709-9888, 709-0888, 0917-8380111.

Epson RIPS Technology wins BLI Outstanding Achievemt in Innovation Award

Tweet

Epson recently announced that its Replaceable Ink Pack System (RIPS) technology had been recognized by Buyers Laboratory LLC (BLI), a leading provider of independent information to the imaging industry, with the Outstanding Achievement in Innovation Award for the summer 2015 test season. The awards are made to companies that provide something new to the market and set new standards and goals to which others can aspire.

Used with Epson’s acclaimed series of WorkForce Pro Replaceable Ink Pack Printers, RIPS technology solves many of the issues associated with office printing by using super-high-yield ink supply units for printing up to 75,000* pages between ink changes. The result of this is less wasted time and resources, and predictable print costs.

In its citation, BLI noted that printers using the technology achieved:

· Phenomenally high tested yields for all colors. 

· Ultra-long-life consumables, which help maintain office productivity and reduce pain points for IT administration. 

· User-friendly replacement and maintenance procedures.

· Compact and low waste packaging advantage, which will suit space-constrained office environments.

“The super-high ink yields offered by the Epson RIPS are a game-changer in the office marketplace, drastically reducing office user consumable replacement frequencies and negating the need for spare sets of toners or inks on site which take up valuable space,” noted David Sweetnam, BLI’s director of research and lab services in Europe. “The ultra-long life supplies will also be an attractive proposition for suppliers offering ‘all inclusive’ contracts, greatly reducing logistics costs and headaches associated with keeping clients stocked with supplies at all times.”

“We are proud to receive the BLI ‘Outstanding Achievement in Innovation’ award for WorkForce Pro RIPS,” said Yoshiro Nagafusa, general manager for printer sales at Seiko Epson. “According to BLI’s independent tests, WorkForce Pro RIPS models can deliver up to 75,000 pages of uninterrupted high-quality print without the need to replace consumables, in addition to using far less energy and generating less waste than laser competitors."

“Epson believes that inkjet printing now demonstrates clear advantages over laser in the office, and offers efficiencies to businesses of all sizes. We will continue to promote this shift,” commented Nagafusa.

BLI also named the Epson WorkForce Pro WF-8590 as this summer’s Outstanding A3 Low- to Mid-Volume Business Inkjet All-in-One, and the Epson WorkForce Pro WF-R8590 as the Outstanding A3 Mid- to High-Volume Business Inkjet All-in-One.

* Using an A3 model. Yields are based on simulations generated after testing with ISO/IEC24711 measurement methodology using ISO/IEC 24712 patterns and calculated using Epson’s methodology. Yields may vary for reasons including images printed, documents printed, printing frequency and printing environment.

Find out more about Epson printing technology:

http://global.epson.com/innovation/core_technology/micro_piezo.html

Note that Epson products and services vary by region. Please refer to your local Epson sales company for details of products and services available in your region:

http://global.epson.com/web_sites.html

Go, Grow and Glow with Goldilocks' Sarap Pinggang Pinoy

Tweet

Goldilocks, the country’s number one bakeshop and the Filipinos go-to foodshop, launched its own Sarap Pinggang Pinoy Meal. The meal was first announced at the FNRI-DOST and Goldilocks Advocacy Partnership on Healthy Eating at the SMX Convention Center.

Goldilocks Foodshop based the Sarap Pinggang Pinoy meal from the FNRI guidelines of the Food Guide Pyramid. The initial offering features all-time Filipino favorites like gisadong monggo, daing na bangus with steamed rice, bottled water and fruit gelatine for only PhP 119. 

This delicious and balanced combination from various food groups will surely make the body go, grow, and glow towards a healthier diet.

According to recent studies, diet- and lifestyle-related conditions such as diabetes and heart disease have been affecting more Filipino adults. In response to this growing concern, the Food and Nutrition Institute (FNRI) developed a guide for Filipinos regarding the proper amount and attributes of the food we eat per meal.

FNRI collaborated with the World Health Organization, the Department of Health, and the National Nutrition Council to develop Pinggang Pinoy, a plate-based food guide that shows the right food proportions to provide the optimal amount of nutrients required by the average Filipino.

In support of the initiative, Goldilocks launched its own Sarap Pinggang Pinoy Meal to show that healthy eating is not about depriving yourself of the food you love. Rather, it’s about making good food choices based on what your body needs. 

So head over to your nearest Goldilocks’ Foodshop and try the Sarap Pinggang Pinoy. 

Join the conversation on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram by following @GoldilocksPH, or visit us at www.goldilocks.com.ph.